San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-03-14
Miss Rose Chester.


comes TO TeUcn ner. DO Delleve THIS Is
the gentleman a'cOmin' up the garden"
"A tall, good-looking young man
knocked at the door and inquired for
Miss Chester. The next moment the
young lady herself ran downstairs, and
a greeting passed between them which,
to the ears of Mr.. Greeley and Mrs.
Dunning, sounded little less than
brotherly and more than cousinly.
did you hear that, Mrs. Dunningp"
asked Mr.. Greeley, in reference to
certain pleasant noise that echoed soft
ly from the passage.
(which, thanking you, sir, l 'as my
fearing good" answered Mrs. Dunn
ing with dignity, as though she felt that
kiss in the passage in some way COM
promised her reputation as a landlady.
II should like this to be kept from
terward said to himself. But Mrs.
Dunning will certainly tell him; and
what then? He will go to this place.
Well, will go too"
1t was Saturday, and at in the even
ing an elderly gentleman of benign as
pect, wearing an expressive suit OF
tweeds, purchased a pit ticket for But
ler's circus.
Shortly afterward, an elderly gentle
man of mild appearance wearing a re-
splendent hat little on the left side Of
his head, purchased ticket for the gal
lery.
Mr.. Greeley had left his circus days
long way behind, and found the per-
formances in the ring anything but en-
livening He sat bolt upright in the front
row of the pit, and kept his eyes fixed
on the entry by which he expected that
Miss Chester would make her appear
ance on the fiery barebacked steed. He
had looked eagerly for her name on the
programme, but found it not; and was
fain to console himself with the sug-
gestion that probably she played her
part under another name. Presently
he had an uncomfortable sensation that
he was being stared at; and, lookingup,
he saw Mr.. Wylie gazing down on him
from the gallery. Mr.. Wylie's express
sion indicated puzzled state Of mind,
and the eye which had not its visual
power obliterated by Mr. Wylie's hat
appeared to be fascinated by Mr.. Gree
ley's new clothes. This made Mr.. Gree
ley more uncomfortable still. The per-
Torrance proceeded, but no Miss Ches-
ter appeared on any steed, fiery, bare
backed, or otherwise. There we're
many young ladies with brief skirts
and flowing hair, who pirOquetted on
prancing steeds, and leaped through
hoops, and slapped the face of the
clown, and said "Hoop-la" when the
ringmaster cracked his whip;but among
them was not Miss Rose Chester. Mr..
Greeley began to be aweary and to wish
he were in bed. The hoof of the fiery
steeds threw up sawdust in his eyes
and the clown leveled his best joke
1iracfly OF hin, Tho Yarfnrro onoa xuao
over, and Miss Chester had not appear
ed at all.
Sad and dispirited, Mr.. Greeley left
his seat and followed the crowd out of
the circus. Gan she be illp" he asked
himself. "Can anything have happen
ed to herp She was still in the house
when left it."
The two friends met at the outer
door, but feigned not to see each other,
and went home by separate ways, Mr..
Wylie getting in little advance Of Mr..
Greeley. A cab was standing before
the garden gate when Mr.. Greeley
reached it, and the circumstance, be-
ing an unusual one at that hour did not
fail to strike him. AS he went up the
path he encountered man carrying a
trunk, another unusual circumstance
which also made its impression. What
Cdil IillS DcE Sdlu MI. UIttleg, WIFI
sense of sinking at the heart. Then a
tall lady, dressed in black, came out of
the house and followed the man with
the trunk. After her-Mr. Greeley
rubbed his eyes and pinched himself,
but there was no walked
Miss Rose Chester, flushed, but with
herpretty little head erect, and stepping
with an air of defiance. In the door
way stood Mrs. Dunning, remonstrat-
ing volubly.
"Oh, you naughty, naughty girl, to
go and deceive me like thatl I'm
ashamed Of you, l AMP said Mrs.
Dunning.
But Miss Chester answered her not.
Mr.. Greeley, lost in bewilderment, stood
aside to let her pass. She looked at
him with yearning eyes, and said, sweet
ly:
Good night, Mr.. Greeley; good-by;
am going"
The lady in black turned round and
said sharply: Hold your tongue,
missln